Tank Girl (1995)

A disappointing, but fun and campy film adaptation of the classic underground
punk comic book, "Tank Girl." In a scorched-earth post apocalyptic future,
water is the most precious resource and most of it belongs to a psychotic
villain played by Malcolm McDowell. Rebecca (a butch and obnoxious Lori Petty)
is a rebellious punk chick who lives in the desert with her other punk friends
and makes her living by stealing water from McDowell's flunkies. Her friends
get murdered, she gets captured, she escapes, and with the aid of Jet Girl
(cute Naomi Watts) she takes out McDowell's operation once and for all. What
starts out as a fun and quirky action comedy falls apart with an overblown
singing and dancing musical number (!), and the inclusion of a group of mutant
kangaroo warriors called "Rippers." The film is overflowing with attitude, but
it doesn't have the balls to back it up. Lori Petty and Naomi Watts do a great
job with what they're given to work with, but don't get enough of a chance to
show us how tough they really are. I'd much rather see them kicking ass than
exchanging quips (one of my complaints about Uma Thurman and Alicia Silverstone
in "Batman And Robin" (1997)
as well). I was excited when I found out that a woman
would be directing this film and was very curious to see a woman's take on a
female action hero film. Either she's been sterilized by Hollywood or I have
absolutely no comprehension of the female psyche, because this film feels like
it's desperately trying to play to male sensibilities and please a primarily
male audience (think "Barb Wire" (1996) here).
Regardless, it's a lot of fun lightweight fluff spiced up with some superb animated
sequences.